Chinese outbound tourists spend over 260 billion USD in 2016: survey

The overall market for Chinese outbound tourism has maintained an upward trend, with its effect on world tourism becoming ever more clear, according to a new survey.

The survey has been conducted by the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), a Beijing-based think tank, and leading Chinese travel agency, Ctrip.

It shows that Chinese outbound tourists spent 261 billion US dollars in 2016, an increase of 12% over the previous year.

Total consumption by Chinese outbound tourists represents close to 21% of global tourist spending, according a report by the UN World Tourism Organization.

In 2015, the number of outbound Chinese tourists reached 128 million, up 9.4% from 2014, and up close to 313% compared to 2005.

In the next 5 years, the number of outbound Chinese tourists is expected to hit 700 million, according to projections put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos in January 2017.

The Center for China and Globalization(CCG) releases survey results at a press conference in Beijing on July 5, 2017. [Photo: provided to China Plus]

Stats from the latest survey show Chinese tourists spent 893 US dollars each in 2015, around half of which went toward shopping.

The same study has found the destinations Chinese tourists are travelling to are becoming more diversified.

However, analysis shows a majority of outbound Chinese tourism is still focused in Asia, with Japan, South Korea and Thailand the most popular destinations.

China has a different perspective on the trade relationship. The two nations could benefit from collaborating more, not less, said Wang Huiyao, director of the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization (CCG) .

China is setting up its first immigration office, according to people with knowledge of the plans, as President Xi Jinping seeks overseas talent to help drive the transition of an economy led by consumer spending and innovation.

Visitors from China may have become the biggest contributors to the global tourism market, but the Asian giant with a 5,000-year history apparently is not that attractive to foreign travellers. The number of inbound tourists grew at an average annual rate of just 1 per cent between 2005 and 2015 – and eight out of 10 of those were from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, according to a report by the Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG)， a Beijing think tank.

These countries in a community with shared destiny and make them pillars of the Belt and Road Initiative, however, requires more than coordination. That explains why Xi’s visits to the countries carry a crucial message that China is more than willing to deepen its partnerships with nations along the Belt and Road.